Slaughterhouse-Five and Public Incitement - Essay Example

Indeed, the Article 25(3) (e) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court accommodates the incitement provision. Nevertheless, under the international law, public incitement can legally occur under the heading of self-defense. As such, civilians can engage in public incitement if they are in the line of defending themselves from attacks. However, soldiers in war can only engage in public incitement as the last option after exhausting all other avenues. Notably, though a group of people may conspire to engage in public incitement, only one person can lead in inciting the rest to participate in violence.

It is common knowledge that most people fear incitement and more so participating in acts of violence. For example, in the book, “Slaughterhouse-Five,” we do not witness any characters in the story and even in the war zone because people are demotivated to being such characters. As such, it is usually, a hard task to incite people in committing violence. Most notable is the fact that in most cases violence leads to beatings, injuries, and deaths. Indeed, Billy’s abduction and mistreatment at the Slaughterhouse for five days proves this (Federhen 4-6).

More than often, public incitement has been in application in many countries. For example, like the incitement to genocide in Rwanda, Israeli-Palestinian war, and the World War II. . Indeed, the qualities of Billy and those of Tralfamadorians the aliens who can see in the fourth dimension are exceptional in the context of the World War (Federhen 4-6). Additionally, a uniform is an acceptable sign of violence. A uniform brings forth an identity, which is very relevant in a public incitement that requires people to commit violence.

Actually, as seen herein, the soldiers can take part in violence as a last resort castigated by public incitement. Indeed, the book tells us of soldiers at war in Vietnam and the issue of uniformity clearly manifests in this case. Moreover, the Tralfamadorians aliens equally had a sense of identity (Federhen 4-6). Additionally, the precise need for public incitement in the commitment of violence is the quest for uniformity so that everybody can focus on the violence. As such, when all the civilians unite in violence, the success of public incitement manifests.

Furthermore, the public incitement plan sacrifices people. Actually, the book narrates how the Tralfamadorians aliens abducted a soldier, Billy Pilgrim during World War II and how the soldier survives a plane crash and the Dresden bombings all in the name of war fueled by public incitement (Federhen 4-6). Indeed, as earlier said, public incitement relates to leadership and somebody must take responsibility and be on the front line. However, in many cases the leaders in public incitement face many challenges that include lack of cooperation, possible arrests, and probable deaths.

Nevertheless, without these front liners in public incitement, it is not possible to coerce people to violence. Moreover, the understanding that lock step mentality is part of war is very essential in inciting the public to committing violence. This aspect defines